persons undertaking vocational training through contract of training arrangements. Contracts of training are legal agreements entered into by employers and trainees who are engaged in employment-based training. Reference: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australian Apprentice and Trainee Statistics.

a person without non-school qualifications who did not complete the highest level of secondary schooling available at the time they left school.Reference: Education and Work, Australia(ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Educational participation

all persons enrolled and attending any institution with a primary role of education. Included are schools, higher education establishments, colleges of technical and further education, public and private colleges.Reference: Education and Work, Australia(ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Full-time equivalent (FTE)

a measure of the total level of staff resources used. The FTE of a full-time staff member is equal to 1.0. The calculation of FTE for part-time staff is based on the proportion of time worked compared with that worked by full-time staff performing similar duties. Casual staff are excluded.Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

GDP (gross domestic product)

total market value of goods and services produced in Australia within a given period after deducting the cost of goods used up in the process of production, but before deducting allowances for the consumption of fixed capital (depreciation). Reference: Government Finance Statistics, Education, Australia - Electronic delivery (ABS cat. no. 5518.0.55.001).

Government expenses on education

total government final expenditure on education services and facilities; government transfer payments paid for the purpose of facilitating education but not intended to be spent directly on educational services (such as personal benefit payments to students and advances to persons for the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS)); and other miscellaneous expenditure on education by government.Reference: Government Finance Statistics, Education, Australia - Electronic delivery (ABS cat. no. 5518.0.55.001).

Government school

one administered by the Department of Education under the Director-General of Education (or equivalent) in each state or territory.Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

Higher education student

a person who has been admitted to a higher education institution and who was enrolled (either full-time, part-time or externally) in a higher education award course, enabling course or non-award course at any time in the year prior to the reference date of 31 March. State totals are the number of students enrolled at all higher education institutions within a particular state or territory.Reference: Department of Education, Science and Training, Higher Education Students 2002.

Data for the proportion of 15-24 year olds attending higher education refers to persons aged 15-24 years attending at least one of the following higher education institutions: University, College of Advanced Education; Institute of Advanced Education; Institute of Higher Education; Institute of Tertiary Education; Agricultural College or Institute of Technology. State totals are based on the student’s usual state or territory of residence.Reference: Education and Work, Australia (ABS cat. no.6227.0).

Non-government school

any school not administered by a Department of Education, but including special schools administered by government authorities other than the state and territory education departments.Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

Non-school educational qualification

an award for attainment as a result of formal learning from an accredited non-school institution. Educational qualifications are classified according to the ABS Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ) (ABS cat. no. 1262.0). The level of attainment includes higher degrees, postgraduate diplomas, bachelor degrees, undergraduate and associate diplomas, and skilled and basic vocational qualifications.

From 2001, and with the implementation of the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) (ABS cat. no. 1272.0), non-school qualifications are awarded for educational attainments other than those of pre-primary, primary or secondary education. This includes qualifications at the Post Graduate Degree Level, Master Degree Level, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate Level, Bachelor Degree Level, Advanced Diploma and Diploma Level, and Certificates I, II, III and IV levels. Non-school qualifications may be attained concurrently with school qualifications.Reference: Education and Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Numeracy - national benchmarks

the numeracy benchmarks describe nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards for numeracy at particular school year levels. They represent the minimum acceptable standard of numeracy without which a student will have difficulty making sufficient progress at school.Reference: Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, National Report on Schooling, 2000.

Overseas higher education student

a person who is a full-fee paying student at a higher education institution and whose residence is usually overseas. Reference: Department of Education, Science and Training, Selected Higher Education Statistics.

Primary education

full-time education which typically commences around age five years and lasts for seven to eight years. It does not include sessional education such as pre-school education. Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

Reading - national benchmarks

the reading benchmarks describe nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards for literacy at particular school year levels. They represent the minimum acceptable standard of literacy without which a student will have difficulty making sufficient progress at school.Reference: Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, National Report on Schooling, 2000.

School

an educational institution which provides primary or secondary education on a full-time daily basis, or the provision of primary or secondary distance education.Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

School student

a person who is enrolled in a school and active in a course of study, other than pre-school or Technical and Further Education (TAFE) courses.Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

total government expenses on education plus total private expenses on education less private expenses on education financed by government transfers.Reference: Government Finance Statistics, Education, Australia, - Electronic delivery (ABS cat. no. 5518.0.55.001).

Unemployment rate

an estimate of unemployed persons in any group expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group.Reference: Education and Work, Australia (ABS cat. no. 6227.0).

Vocational Education and Training (VET) student

a person aged 15-64 years for whom there is a full-time or part-time vocational stream enrolment in a TAFE college or a course provided by some private or adult and community education providers in the reference year.Does not necessarily equate to individuals, as some people may have more than one enrolment.Reference: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics: In Detail.

Year 12 apparent retention rate

the percentage of full-time students of a given cohort group who continue from the first year of secondary schooling to Year 12. Reference: Schools, Australia (ABS cat. no. 4221.0).

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